The present invention generally relates to automatic record disc playing apparatuses, and more particularly to an automatic record disc playing apparatus capable of selectively switching over to perform an automatic music piece selection play and a normal automatic play of a record disc.
The present inventors et al. have previously proposed an automatic music piece selection playing apparatus by copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 156,775 filed on June 4th 1980, titled "Programmable Automatic Record Player" this application has issued as U.S. Pat. No. 4,361,880. The proposed apparatus starts playing from a position where a music piece address is preset, by presetting playing music piece addresses within a record disc, and detecting the number of music pieces recorded in the record disc upon moving of a tone arm by use of detection means which is provided in a pickup cartridge. However, the pickup cartridge used in the above automatic music piece selection playing apparatus has a special type cartridge which is exclusively for use in the above automatic music piece selection playing apparatus provided with the above described detection means.
On the other hand, there are cases where it is desirable to use a predetermined pickup cartridge which is suited for use with a specific kind of music piece recorded in the record disc. In the above case, it is essential that the automatic music piece selection playing apparatus is capable of performing a normal automatic play operation. In addition, irrespective of the above described demand, there are cases where it is desirable to simply perform a normal automatic play operation or a manual play operation in the automatic music piece selection playing apparatus.
Accordingly, in order to satisfy the above demand, the automatic music piece selection playing apparatus must be provided with a function for performing a normal automatic play operation. Hence, one method of constructing such a playing apparatus, is to provide a changeover switch for changing over to or from an automatic music piece selection play operation mode, an automatic play operation mode, and a manual play operation mode, and operating the above changeover switch to perform the changeover.
However, when the playing apparatus is constructed as described above, there is a possibility that the changeover switch is operated erroneously, or the operation of the changeover switch is forgotten. Moreover, the cost of the playing apparatus is increased by providing the above changeover switch. Further, there is a disadvantage in that space is required to provide the above mechanism, and the construction of the operation panel becomes complex.